1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of gliding or rolling boards adapted to snowboarding, skiing, skate boarding, or the like.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
A board has a length, a width, and a thickness. When snowboarding, both of the user""s feet are affixed to an upper surface of the board, the feet being oriented substantially along a transverse direction with respect to the board.
The sport requires that the user perform jumps, figures, or acrobatic maneuvers. That is the case, for example, in competitions which require figures of style.
As a result, the user sometimes has to grab an edge of the board with one hand.
It is then necessary that the hand be capable of holding the edge of the board without slipping, so tat the user can control his/her balance or the movement of his/her body with respect to the board.
On most known boards, the upper surface is hard and smooth, just as the gliding surface, the latter being opposite the upper surface with respect to the thickness of the board. The upper surface is hard and smooth because it is formed of a layer of a material that protects, in particular, against impacts, friction, or ultraviolet radiation.
Because the gliding surface is also smooth, the hand that holds the edge tends to slide along the latter.
The prior art has proposed solutions to enable a manual grip of an edge.
For example, French Patent Publication No. 2 652 752 discloses the use of at least one beading forming a handle. Each beading is arranged so as to be located on one side of the board, in order to facilitate the manual grip of the edge. The beading indeed enables a good grip.
However, the board according to French Patent Publication 2 652 752 has the following disadvantages. Initially, the beading increases the weight of the board, which makes it more difficult to perform jumps, figures, or acrobatic maneuvers.
Moreover, in the form of a snowboard, snow tends to adhere to the beading, which hinders the grip and further increases the weight of the board.
An object of the invention is to enable the user to have a good manual grip of an edge, without the weight of the board being increased.
To this end, the invention proposes a gliding or rolling board that extends along a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, the board having a width demarcated by a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, and a thickness demarcated by an upper surface and a lower surface or gliding sole, the board successively having, between the first end and second end, a first end zone, a first contact line, a first intermediate zone, a retaining zone, a second intermediate zone, a second contact line, and a second end zone.
At least a portion of the upper surface of the board of the invention has cavities, the portion being located along a lateral edge.
The cavities render the upper surface rough at in the area of this portion. As a result, the user can hold the edge of the board with the hand, without the latter sliding along the board.
The good grip of the edge with the hand is had without the weight of the board being increased. An advantage is that the user can more easily control his/her balance or the movements of his/her body with respect to the board.